Bella's Bloodlust: a Tale of Hunger & Lust
by Norris J
Summary: Now the mother of a nearly grown Renesmee, Bella (along with husband Edward) relocate to the east coast to "restart" their life for the next ten years. Bella has long since controlled her hunger for blood, and her life is defined by stability and contentedness. But one day, another kind of hunger sparks and begins to smolder inside her, one she did not expect...
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter I**

 **Bella in Still Life**

Bella stood with her arms crossed, in the early morning light, watching the retreating figure of a young woman, who was astride a large dusky wolf. She watched until the strange sight disappeared into the distant trees. Standing next to Bella was a pale handsome man.

"She's grown up so fast, Edward", she told the man in a quiet thoughtful voice. She was still looking into the distance.

"Yes she has," Edward answered, with a languid smile. "We're lucky she can still pass for a highschool student. 3 years already and no incidents." He added, folding his arms in mirror of his wife.

"We're lucky we can too-although I do sometimes feel like a granny on the inside," Bella said with her trademark wry delivery.

"Not a problem; I got enough youthful energy for the both of us." Smiled Edward, playfully nosing her neck.

"Or maybe you've just always been a grandpa," responded Bella, with a trademark subtle smile.

"Maybe you'll get a chance to see for yourself tonight," he whispered to her, exaggerating his voice for comedic effect. She pushed him away playfully, with a quick boyish laugh. Edward put his arm around her shoulder as they turned to go back into the house behind them. It was small but welcoming-looking white house, single-floor in design. It had a quaint little porch appended to its front face. It was in fact - not coincidentally - quite reminiscent of Bella's former west coast home, back when she had lived with her father. The young couple had moved here 3 years prior - out of necessity, yes; but also for a change of scenery, and a fresh place for Renesmee to grow up. Although it had only been a little over 10 years since Bella gave birth to her. Renesmee's growth, accelerated as it was, had been rapid. Her appearance was that of a young girl in her late teens or early 20's. Hence, as Edward has said, they had been able to start a clean 'cycle'. To maximize their time in the area, they all three started out as highschoolers - as 3 years had past mother, father and child were all 'seniors' in high school. Of course, to avoid complications, they all three had to attend separate high schools in the area - Edward and Bella in the adjacent town and Renesmee in a neighboring town. And every morning, Jacob appeared out of the trees near their house to whisk her away to school. He had followed them to the east coast when they moved-followed his love, rather. He and Renesmee shared a blossoming relationship that had only recently fully developed from its genesis all those years ago. So much time had passed - and yet, not much had changed. Bella's love for Edward, her love for he daughter, these were the constants that formed the center of her life. Nearly everything else was a product of, or done in pursuit of, these two loves. Such was Bella's life as she lived and experienced it.

The two entered the foyer. As they removed their shoes, Bella suddenly said in a low sultry voice, "We don't have to wait 'till tonight," She grabbed her husband and tackled him onto the plaid cushioned sofa in the next room - taking place all in a blurred split second to a human observer - and sat up on his chest, locking her knees against his sides. "Now's your chance," she told him. "Excite me." She ran her hand around his shirt collar, finding and starting to undo his buttons from the neck.

"Ooh, spicy," Edward chuckled. Pushing his upper body up on his elbows, he gently checked her hand at his buttons. "You know I'd love to, but I got to get to school - we both do," he said, kissing her hand as he removed it. "We have to make it on days like this so we can take off on sunny ones," he said softly. Bella stubbornly held her knees in place. She knew he was right - they did indeed have a presence to maintain, a visage of normalcy that needed to be upheld. This was the only way to ensure their true happiness was secure. Reluctantly, she dismounted him. "Promise me you'll save some of that energy for tonight, Bella," Edward said lovingly as they stood up and embraced. Bella helped him re-button his shirt. "I'll try," she said softly. But she knew she could not promise that, even to herself.

* * *

"Here I go," said Edward, coming down the stairs and heading for the door. "You're not going out with me?" He asked, noticing her standing there in the living room doorway. Although they attended separate schools, they typically left the house together. Bella was leaning slightly on the doorframe, arms folded. "Yeah, I got - I still need to wash my hair," she said, furrowing her brow in her endearing way.

"Alright then, see you later tonight," he walked over and kissed her on the forehead. As he slipped on his shoes, he winked back at her from the tiled shoe area. "See you soon babe," Bella said. Pushing off the doorway, she walked over to him. She was able to look him directly in the face as she stood on the raised wood flooring. Wearing a faint smile, she almost imperceptibly looked over his whole face. "See you soon," she said again. Cupping his chin in her hands, she kissed him on the mouth briefly. "Love you," whispered Edward, smiling. Then, turning to the door, he opened it and, walking out, he was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter II**

 **Bella in Reflection**

Bella stood alone in the kitchen, alone in the house. It was still, quiet. The only sound was the faintly echoing, regular ticking of the wall clock in the adjacent foyer. Bella wore an inscrutable, pensive expression on her face. She had not gone to school. Her hair, apparently recently washed, was hanging loosely in damp strands above her shoulders. After Edward left, she had slowly gone upstairs, and washed her hair in the bathtub. Then, without drying it she had come downstairs wrapped in a towel, perched on the sofa, staring absently into space. She had extended her leg, running her hands along its length, then again with the other. Then, without really knowing why, her wandering hands had slowly found her crotch, and she began to please herself quietly, methodically. Once, then again...And a third time. Afterwards, she had gone back upstairs, and washed her face in the bathroom sink. She looked up at her reflection, but quickly looked down - after a moment she looked up at herself again, for many long moments. Then, she had gotten dressed, and come downstairs, finding her way into the kitchen.

Bella had not masturbated in a long while - she didn't know why, or even why she had done so now. Her mind had been blank. What did it mean? _Nothing,_ she said to herself. She stood over the island bar and stared absently down at the countertop. She could see her vague reflection in its polished granite surface. Throwing her head back, she pushed back her still-wet hair. She turned to look out the window. The sun, now peeking from behind the clouds, sent golden rays into the empty kitchen. Bella slowly extended her arm into the light. She watched as her pale skin sparkled and glimmered in the light as she rotated her arm. She had once seen Edward's body glimmer in just the same way, many years before. Edward. What was he doing now? Probably in class, or eating lunch off to the side in the cafeteria. Bella smiled. He was the same Edward he had always been. And she was the same Bella. Her love was the same, her dream was the same, her desires were...the same. Yes. How many people could say they were as happy as her, or that they had gotten everything they ever dreamed of…?

"Renesmee will be hungry when she gets home," whispered Bella in the empty kitchen. She walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out some franks - frowning, she returned them and instead pulled out some baby carrots. Walking over to the counter, she put them on a cutting board an began to methodically slice them. _Chop, chop, chop_. She moved her hair behind her ear. Somehow she became conscious of the sound of her own breathing-perhaps it was irregular. Stopping her cutting she set her knife down, and looked absently at the deep beige cabinets in front of her.

Bella, her husband, and her daughter - their lives in perpetual motion but never straying out of the realm of happy contentedness. Simple, nothing exotic - but what else was there? What else could there be? _What else could I ever want?_ She thought. She did not - in fact was unable to - imagine what could be outside 'her happiness'. What was outside? Uncertainty? She had never asked herself this, had never consciously thought about what it was. She shifted on her feet. She felt quietly uneasy.

"This is what I wanted," Bella said aloud.

She once more looked down at the counter, the endless speckled granite surface.

"Yes," she said quietly, setting her defined jaw.

She once more picked up the knife and resumed slicing the carrot.

The knuckles of her clenched hands, which had been resting on the counter's edge, were white.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter III**

 **Bella on the Hunt**

Bella stood in the field, located behind their house. She was standing still, her face tilted slightly upwards towards the gray clouds. It was overcast, and a slight breeze was blowing.

She had not gone to school for several days. Of course Edward and Renesmee had continued to go every day as normal, and of course they thought Bella did too. The truth was, Bella did not exactly know why she had not gone. It was not, for example that she was depressed, that she felt tired, or that she felt sick - in many ways on the contrary. She simply did not feel like going. She felt as if there were 'other things' pressing on her - some vague, gray things somewhere in her mind that she either desired to do or must do. When Edward had asked her about her day at school over dinner, she had looked at him and said "Not bad," with her elbows resting on the table, and hands clasped together. "You seem a bit spaced out," remarked Edward, smiling as he rose from the table. Bella realized she had been staring at him for quite some time, leaving her food untouched. That was all. The next morning Edward and Renesmee had once again gone out as normal, and Bella, staying behind, had come out into the grassy fielded area behind the house. Closing her eyes, Bella took a deep breath through her nose, as if drinking in the air. Bread baking, smoke, sea-salt, the leaves - and blood, human blood. She could smell it all.

She had, of course, always been able to smell the blood of humans. But she had never allowed herself, could never allow herself, to indulge in it. And absolutely never to act on it. To do so would be to not only endanger herself but also her family - her family, whom she loved. And yet...She was more than her family, more than the sacrifices she made for them. Bella Swan loved Edward, loved Renesmee. She was Edward's wife, and Renesmee's mother. Sacrifice, born of love, she felt, was necessary in securing happiness. And yet...She was also Bella Swan who was driven - driven by her own desire, her own wants. Perhaps, she had never fully discovered these desires, these parts of Bella Swan that were separate from her family, or apart from others. Many were perhaps dark; many unknown - but they were still a part of who the woman Bella Swan was. She had the power, the right, to discover what these unknowns within herself were - she felt this; she began to believe it. All she need do was reach out her hand. There could be consequences, yes. But she would face them as all of herself - this had to be better than running from them, in fear, as only half of her true self. She never wished to hurt Edward; but at the same time she could not now deny herself something, deny parts of herself for fear of doing so. No. That wouldn't be right either. _Nothing has changed_ , she thought to herself. In this last point Bella was however, for better or for worse, completely and utterly wrong. The wind blew softly through the nearby tree-line, and the leaves rustled as if in countless whispers.


End file.
